Companies closed

Super typhoon “Yagi” threatens economy in southern China

Typhoon "Yagi" is approaching the coasts of the provinces of Hainan and Guangdong with wind speeds of up to 245 kilometers per hour.(Bild: NOAA)

Super typhoon "Yagi" is causing considerable disruption in southern China with gale-force winds and heavy rainfall and is also threatening the region's economic centers. The world's longest sea bridge, which connects Hong Kong with Macau and Zhuhai in Guangdong, has already had to be closed.

With wind speeds of up to 245 kilometers per hour, one of the strongest storms of the year is approaching the coasts of the provinces of Hainan and Guangdong. The first effects of the typhoon on the economy are already being felt: the stock exchange in Hong Kong remained closed on Friday and airports throughout the region ceased operations.

"Yagi", which has more than doubled in strength since the devastation in the north of the Philippines at the beginning of the week, is expected to make landfall along the Chinese coast from Wenchang in Hainan to Leizhou in Guangdong from Friday afternoon.

Third-highest typhoon level in force
The Chinese government dispatched task forces to the provinces to coordinate preventive measures against flooding and storm damage, the state news agency Xinhua reported. The third-highest typhoon level 8 remains in force for the time being, meaning that many businesses remain closed and transportation is severely restricted.

The imminent landfall of super typhoon "Yagi" in Hainan is rare, as most typhoons that hit the duty-free island are classified as weak.

From 1949 to 2023, 106 typhoons were recorded in Hainan, but only nine were categorized as super typhoons. Hainan province plays a central role in the Chinese economy as an important free trade zone and major tourist destination.